By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Have you got what it takes to help “The Simpsons” break a world record?
In celebration of the animated program’s historic 500th episode milestone, FOX invites fans of the iconic series to participate in The Simpsons Ultimate Fan Marathon Challenge at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles.
Fans will come together to watch up to 500 continuous episodes of “The Simpsons” in an attempt to break the current Guinness World Record of 86 hours, 6 minutes and 41 seconds for the longest continuous television viewing.
The contest winner will take home a $10,500 prize and an array of “Simpsons” merchandise. Members of “The Simposns” will be on-site to kick-off the marathon event, and fans and spectators will be able to watch the marathon and visit a fanfare area equipped with interactive elements and animation cells.
The information is below. Think you’ll give it a shot?

WHERE: Los Angeles — Hollywood and Highland Complex Center
6801 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
WHO: Members of THE SIMPSONS
WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012
THE SIMPSONS 500th Episode, “At Long Last Leave” Airs Sunday, February 19, on FOX
On Blu-ray and DVD, fans can enjoy and experience more from THE SIMPSONS with never-before-seen footage and extras
Fans can also visit www.TheSimpsonsShop.com to get their hands on all of the latest THE SIMPSONS merchandise, and beginning in February, a special selection of products created exclusively to celebrate the 500th episode milestone

By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: A ton of “Titanic” fans would like their heart to go on, but they’ll need Paramount’s servers to step up their game before the Feb. 14 preview screenings of James Cameron’s Oscar-winning masterpiece.
According to a release, “Titanic” fans rushed the web in the last 24-hours — crashing multiple servers in the process — to secure advance tickets for the now sold-out preview screenings of “Titanic” in 3D.
“In a matter of hours, sell-out screenings were reported throughout the United States and in countries around the world, following the launch of the special screening program on Jan. 31,” the studio reported. “Moviegoers who were lucky enough to secure a seat will now be among the first people anywhere to see the newly re-mastered TITANIC in 3D, in advance of the film’s worldwide release on April 6th.”
These special fan screening are being presented exclusively in RealD 3D and will be held in the following cities: Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Boston, Phoenix, Seattle, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, San Diego, Denver, Sacramento, Orlando, Tampa, Minneapolis, Montreal, Vancouver, Cleveland, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Portland, Kansas City, West Palm Beach, Raleigh, San Antonio, Hartford, Charlotte, San Antonio, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Austin, Edmonton, Milwaukee, Norfolk, Grand Rapids, Calgary, Columbus, Fresno, Ottawa, Cincinnati, Nashville, Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Oklahoma City.
Internationally, these special one-time only preview screenings will take place in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan and the UK.
The re-release of “Titanic” also coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Titanic setting sail on April 10, 1912.
Written, directed and produced by Cameron, “Titanic” is the second highest grossing movie of all time. It is one of only three films to have received a record 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director; and launched the careers of stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
Learn more about TITANIC in 3D at http://www.titanicmovie.com/
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HollywoodNews.com: Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber have been opening up more and more about their relationship in the last few months, and now Gomez is talking about how happy she is right now.
Gomez spoke with ‘Cosmopolitan’ about the relationship of almost a year and what it is like to be so happy at such a young age, states UsMagazine.com. “I’m just like every 19-year-old girl. If you’re in love, you’re in love to the fullest, and you just want to go to the movies, hang out, and be as normal as possible,” Gomez commented.
And it seems that is exactly what she can do with Bieber: “I’m fortunate that I’ve found someone who has that philosophy.”
Do you think they’ll last long?
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HollywoodNews.com: – Production Designer John Shaffner has been elected to a three-year term as Chair of the Art Directors Council, effective immediately, replacing Thomas A. Walsh, who continues in the position of President of the overall Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800).
Shaffner was formerly Vice-Chair of the Council, a position now filled by Corey Kaplan. Also elected to the Art Directors Council was Jack Fisk. The ADG has four craft councils: Art Directors; Scenic, Title & Graphic Artists; Set Designers & Model Makers, and Illustrators & Matte Artists.
Shaffner has just completed four years as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He presently works as Production Designer on Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory and Mike & Molly.
Fisk was nominated for an Oscar® and a BAFTA Award for his work as Production Designer on There Will be Blood. He was Production Designer on Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life and on Malick’s next film, as yet untitled.
New members recently elected to the other craft councils include Ben Nowicki of the Scenic, Title & Graphic Artists Council and James Hewitt of the Set Designers and Model Makers Council.
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HollywoodNews.com: It seems rapper Drake is keeping busy thinking about a career in film as he has hopes of playing President Barack Obama in a biopic someday.
Drake recently commented that he hopes someone will make a film about Obama so that he can play the very important lead role, states E! News. “I hope somebody makes a movie about Obama’s life soon because I could play him. That’s the goal,” Drake commented.
And it seems he is already practicing for the role: “Any time I see him on TV, I don’t change the channel. I definitely pay attention and listen to the inflections of his voice. If you ask anyone who knows me, I’m pretty good at impressions.”
Do you think he’d be a good choice?
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HollywoodNews.com: It looks like things might be serious between Leonardo DiCaprio and his rumored girlfriend, Erin Heatherton, as the two hit up a vacation in Mexico along with his mother.
The two were spotted zip-lining in Mexico along with his mom, who he has not been quiet about how important she is in his life, states E! News.
All three were photographed together during the zip-lining trip, so it seems things are good for now.
It has previously been rumored that DiCaprio’s mom wasn’t a fan of Blake Lively which might explain the sudden end to their romance.
Do you think he’ll stay with this girl?
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By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Elizabeth Banks hasn’t been busier. Her latest movie, “Man On a Ledge,” just opened. She has “The Hunger Games” on the horizon. And she continues to add extremely engaging projects to her acting radar.
The blonde beauty has joined the cast of one of our most-anticipated films, “Frank or Francis,” from the twisted mind of Charlie Kaufman. The writer of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Being John Malkovich” has penned a musical satire about moviemaking and the awards race.
The film stars Jack Black as a movie blogger who draws the ire of a talented film director (Steve Carell) who engages him in a “battle,” of sorts. Nicolas Cage, according to THR, plays “an actor who is famous for his high-concept films, while (Kevin) Kline will play the director of the world’s top-grossing movie as well as that character’s brother, who turns into an animatronic head.”
As for Banks, she’ll play an actress who’s having an affair with Carell’s character. So they’ll be rekindling some of that “40-Year-Old Virgin” chemistry?
“Frank or Francis” comes across as an impossibly clever premise, and I wouldn’t believe it possible if not for the fact that Kaufman was helming. The blustery awards race and the Hollywood machine could use a skewering. And while “Francis” might come across a little bit like biting the hand that feeds, Kaufman doesn’t seem concerned with staying in Hollywood’s good graces. We’ll continue to track “Frank and Francis,” which has one of the most impressive casts we’ve seen in some time.
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By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Call it superhero social media.
Marvel Studios announced today that they will be sponsoring a Global Twitter Chat on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 11 a.m. (PST) with cast members and the director of their highly anticipated action-adventure “Marvel’s The Avengers,” opening in theaters on May 4, 2012.
The 30-minute live tweeting event features writer/director Joss Whedon and cast members Tom Hiddleston and Clark Gregg.
Fans around the world will be able to participate in the Q&A on Twitter by using the @Avengers handle and the #Avengers hashtag. Participating fans will have the opportunity to see a 10-second tease of the 30-second Super Bowl spot that will air during Super Bowl XLVI on February 5 on NBC. They will also have a chance to answer “Avengers” trivia for a chance to win “Avengers” prize packs.
International fans will be able to submit questions for the talent in their native language through a global translation tool provided by Ortsbo.com. The chat will be moderated by Marvel’s @Agent_M.
“Marvel’s The Avengers” stars Robert DowneyJr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, JeremyRenner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson. It’s written and directed by Joss Whedon. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Follow @Avengers on Twitter for more details.
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By Scott Mendelson
HollywoodNews.com: Most of the ideas in Tony Kaye’s Detachment are not revolutionary, especially not to anyone who has followed the last thirty years of debate regarding the public education system in America (Jonathan Kozel’s many works of nonfiction come to mind). And while the story is told in a style that sometimes veers in art-house cliche (sepia-toned flashbacks, first-person testimonial to an unseen listener, hand-held claustrophobia, etc), the picture is in the end devastating via its almost objective presentation of the issues at hand. Sure, Kaye is saying, we know that public schools are underfunded, understaffed, and stuck with various federal mandates and (worst of all, argues Kaye) a deluge of unmotivated students whose parents only take an interest when it comes to rebutting disciplinary measures. But told through the eyes of a substitute teacher who is far more caring than he wants to be, the picture wonders why we’re so accepting a system that doesn’t seem to be all that successful for any number of American youths.
The plot is pretty simple: Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody) is starting an extended gig as a substitute teacher in an unnamed public high school. Through his eyes we see the frustration, bitterness, cynicism, and acceptance of his full-time colleagues (played by, among others, James Caan, Lucy Liu, Christina Hendricks, and William Peterson, Blythe Danner, Tim Blake Nelson, and Marcia Gay Harden). The primary blame is placed at the feet of seemingly disinterested parents, although programs like No Child Left Behind with its unfunded mandates and reliance on arbitrary test scores as the be all/end all judgement for struggling schools, takes their licks too. Yes Mr. Barnes does provide token inspiration to his kids, almost despite himself, but it’s merely because they take his blunt cynicism as a sign of respect. This is, at its core, a character study of someone who has long since given up being the great inspiration to young minds, as well as a brutal deconstruction of that entire concept.
Much of what happens borders on cliche, especially when the film leaves the classroom. He struggles with a student who mistakes simple empathy for paternal/romantic affection, bonds with a female member of the faculty, and deals with a dementia-stricken grandparent (Louis Zorich). But the film works because of the sheer understated power of its frank storytelling. That last subplot plays out […]